Samuel M. A. Green and Franklin Russell emphasize positivity

Maui has played a prominent role in the Alternative Album category of the Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards in the last few years in the shape of the Kula-based band Big Chief Thunder.

They won in 2023 for “Shine Your Light,” and in 2025 for the eclectic project “Malama Aina.” And they were nominated for the Alternative Hōkū in 2024 for “Aloha Nui Loa.”

“That was definitely a rush,” said Chief Thunder’s mastermind Franklin Russell about their latest Hōkū win. “We’ve been entering the alternative category because we’re sort of all over the map. We do some songs that are sort of soft and jazzy, and other songs that are definitely reggae, what people want to hear. Then some of the other stuff is a bit edgy hip-hop. Sam’s kind of a hip-hop rapper.”

Big Chief Thunder refers to the group and the lead vocalist Samuel M. A. Green. “It’s his moniker,” Russell explained.

Highlights on “Malama Aina” included the romantic ballads “I Wanna Thank You Love,” and “I Believe in Love,” the humorous “Stuck in Traffic,” and the reggae flavored “Coconut Man” (with a love shoutout to Lahaina) and “Sunshine And Rainbows.”

Big Chief Thunder delivers contemporary reggae with upbeat songs like “Roots” and grooving funk like “Nobody Knows,” featuring a gospel choir by Makeda Rose and percussion by Alejo Perez Cuba. Their latest release, the island reggae of “Good Vibe (Put Your Feet In The Sand),” is a perfect, uplifting summer jam with tasty vocals and rap by Green.

The musicians are currently working on their fourth album. “We’ve got the majority of the songs, and a lot of them have already been released,” he noted. “You can hear them on YouTube. I think our sound is little bit more refined now. Next year, we’re going to explore maybe entering in the hip hop category as well as alternative.”

Living on Maui since 1982, Franklin produces their albums, co-writes songs, sings lead on a couple of tracks on “Malama Aina,” and plays flugelhorn, trumpet, keyboards and ukulele. Plus, he plays a special instrument he calls a trumpbone.

“The trumpbone is where I play the lead line on the trumpet, knowing that I’m going to drop it down an octave. I drop the trumpet down an octave with the computer, and it sounds like a trombone.”

Japanese musician Yikino Ushimaru contributes to their albums. “This last album, we got Yukino playing some bass and singing,” he said. “She plays funk bass. She contributed some stuff on this last album, a few tunes. We’ve got a music video out for the song ‘Stuck in Traffic,’ with Yukino and me and Sam in it.”

Lyrically, they emphasize positivity. “Positive and inspirational,” he said. “Some of it crosses the line into this sort of Rastafarian Christian kind of stuff.”

As a solo musician, Russell has produced EDM dance tracks like “Love in Outer Space” and the smooth jazz instrumental “Kapalua.” He also released a post-fire tribute to the spirit of Lahaina, “Kokua Lahaina,” and the “This One for Ukraine” homage. “At my ripe old age, I’m entitled to record what I want and play what I want,” he said.